


The Word

by PrintDust



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-01
Packaged: 2018-02-11 07:24:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2059146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrintDust/pseuds/PrintDust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every cold shoulder, every unanswered question stung like the harsh winter wind, whipping through her, driving into her chest like a spike.</p><p>And then he had said the word. The first time the word slipped from his mouth it sounded like a breath of air. She wasn't even sure she'd heard it at all as he'd muttered it while he stalked away from her. "Whore."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Word

Lori couldn't remember exactly when he had started to pull away. Maybe it was because they had long since lost track of time; each day seemed to blend into the next until they weren't sure if it had been a week or a month. The weather was a clue. It had gotten cold enough that they had had to raid a local Walmart to find coats and gloves. And her growing belly was an indicator that it had to be at least late January- maybe even early February.

The distance between them had started out with her being the only one to initiate hugs and conversations. Eventually his answers became one worded, until he didn't speak to her at all.

If there was one thing she had promised herself from the day she had found out about him, it was that she would be an excellent mother to him. She would always make time to teach him, show him affection, and tell him how much she loved him. She figured if she could show him that she loved him, that that would be enough.

She hadn't anticipated that in the end it would be she that would be rejected. That it would be she who would be locked out and pushed away, so far that she couldn't even reach him anymore.

Every cold shoulder, every unanswered question stung like the harsh winter wind, whipping through her, driving into her chest like a spike.

And then he had said the word. The first time the word slipped from his mouth it sounded like a breath of air. She wasn't even sure she'd heard it at all as he'd muttered it while he stalked away from her. "Whore."

She'd wanted to reach out and grab his shoulder, spin him around and shake him. She wanted to demand to know where he had heard that word… and how he had connected it to her. But instead she'd stood frozen, her hand curled around the swell of her belly, her breath jammed tightly into her chest.

After she'd recovered she'd looked around their camp, at their group. She wondered if one of them had said it, or if Carl had known it all along.

"You'll pass out if you don't breathe," a soothing voice said from behind her as a hand rested against her back.

Lori forced herself to push the air out of her lungs and she nodded, fighting back tears of anger, shame, and humiliation. She wrapped herself up in a hug and closed her eyes against the world, trying to reign in her emotions as they assaulted her, slamming into her chest with each beat of her aching heart.

Carol had wrapped her into a one-armed hug and was walking her across the camp towards the fire, still rubbing her back. "He didn't mean it," she assured Lori. "He's just picking up on the tension between you and Rick."

Lori nodded, "Yeah." She used her thumb to wipe the tears out of her eyes. She looked over at Carl who was watching her as he stood next to Beth, his face pale and dispassionate.

"Why don't you sit down for a minute?" Carol gave her a squeeze and lowered her onto an upturned bucket. "It's been a long day."

Lori felt her chest shudder as a sob rattled inside her, but she held it in. "Is that what you all think?" She asked, looking up at the short-haired woman. "Of me?"

The other woman kneeled down in front of her so that they were at eye-level. Her face was full of warmth and concern as she reached out to rest her hand on Lori's shoulder. "We're survivors," Carol said certainly. "We're all just doing what we have to in order to keep going. There can't be any room for judgment in that."

"I don't know how to make him love me again," Lori said in a soft voice… looking to Carl, and then Rick. "I don't know how to put it all back together."


End file.
